Live from training camp: Travel day

The doors are open and the Storm is running through their final preparations before taking off for their exhibition road openers against Chicago and Sacramento. Heard Saturday and Monday’s practices were long and grueling. Coach Brian Agler is working the defensive angle and he’ll look for that to show through against the Sky on Wednesday.STARTING LINEUP: Looks as if Kimberly Beck, Sheryl Swoopes, Katie Gearlds, Shyra Ely, and Yolanda Griffith will be the starting five against the Sky. Ashley Robinson was a candidate at power forward, but she’s running with the second team. UW product Kristen O’Neill is also with the second team along with Dee Davis, Allie Quigley, and Leah Rush.OWNERS IN THE HOUSE: Force 10 Hoops members Lisa Brummel and Ginny Gilder are watching practice. Gilder is becoming a regular while this is the first Brummel I’ve seen of Brummel at practice. She’s often on the road with her Microsoft gig and even missed media day. The owners said they were going to take advantage of their access, though, wanting the players to get to know them on a personal level. Different, but not out of the norm. Jack Rodgers was a minority owner of the Storm under Howard Schultz’ regime and Rodgers held an annual party for the players at his Mercer Island home.MORE ON HOSKINS: Seemingly all of the players in training camp are on the bubble to make the roster, making the opening two exhibition games pivotal. G Brandie Hoskins was an obvious cut on Saturday given her Achilles injury. She worked hard to comeback and was funny with her star struck comments about Swoopes. Another season overseas could help her make the jump to the W. “She came in a tried and worked hard, but is not quiet in good enough shape right now,” Agler said. “Hopefully she’ll work at it and get another opportunity someplace else a year from now. Mainly we’re trying to focus on her to get in shape so that she’ll be able to perform over in Europe next winter.”CASH BANGED UP: If you caught Swin Cash in Team USA’s loss to China over the weekend, the star wing didn’t look promising. A known slasher, Cash hasn’t put up good numbers in the tournament and was 2-for-3 for five points and five rebounds in 21 minutes. She didn’t appear as if she was in shape, which could open the door for a starting wing on the Storm roster. Agler said Cash bruised her knee in China, although she played. She’s going to have it evaluated in Miami before joining the Storm in Sacramento for the exhibition game on Friday. “She was healthy enough to play and statistically it was one of her better games,” Agler said of the game, not being able to watch it himself due to camp.WRAPPING UP: Just a two-hour session today because of the plan to catch. The team finished by shooting free throws. While Agler gave a media interview, Swoopes gathered the team in a huddle for some final words. Agler capped that off with some instructions for the game against Chicago and Griffith added the exclamation point with a “Beat Chicago on three, 1-2-3 Beat Chicago!”

About Women’s Hoops

Jayda Evans covers college and pro women's basketball. She'll offer observations, critiques, occasional off-beat tales and answers to select e-mail inquires. Evans also has written a book on the Storm and women's hoops, called "Game On!" You can email Jayda or follow her on Twitter.